I have read about both of these rumors in the past, but can’t remember where. The vast majority of the Trek reference books I own are “official,” published by Pocket/Paramount, and they don’t address these particular rumors, for reasons which should be readily apparent. If any Doper Trek Fans have the poop on these, I’d sure appreciate hearing it.
The actor who played Joachim, Khan Noonien Singh’s lieutenant in ST:TWOK was upset with the way his part had been edited, and requested that his name not appear in the credits. (It is a fact, not a rumor, that this actor is uncredited.)
Gates McFadden complained about the lack of attention that her character got in the first season of ST:TNG, and asked for more money. She was summarily removed from the show during the second season as a “message” to the rest of the cast. She was then re-hired for the third season, with a pay cut.
Judson Scott was credited when the film later aired on television, in an expanded version. I believe I read an interview in which he blamed his lack of credit in the theatrical version on a “misunderstanding” between his agent and Paramount.
For what it’s worth, I found reference to Ms. McFadden’s pay cut in a couple of Usenet posts, but nothing conclusive. Too bad Googlenews doesn’t go back to the 80s, there’d probably be a lot more usable info there.
It does appear, however, that her reason for leaving after the first season was to be in a (not very good apparently, although that’s a redundancy) soap opera, although apparently the studio was not unhappy to see her go.
According to Star Trek: The Next Generation - the Continuing Mission, the story is that McFadden was upset that her character wasn’t developing much over the first season. She felt this was because the cast was too large. The producers agreed, and when McFadden asked to be let out of her contract, they consented. She was replaced for the second season with Diana Muldar in the recurring role of Dr. Pulaski. (McFadden’s character’s absence was explained on the show by having her return to Starfleet Medical.) For reasons unbeknownst to me, McFadden returned to the show in the third season, and Dr. Pulaski was no more.
While we’re at it, here are some other famous Star Trek departures:
[ul]
[li]Denise Crosby, who played Tasha Yarr on TNG, was also upset with the way her character was (or rather wasn’t) developing. She asked to be let out of her contract in order to pursue a movie career. The producers consented, and killed off her character in the episode “Skin of Evil”.[/li][li]Terry Farrell, who played Jadzia Dax on DS9, left the show after the sixth season. The official story at the time was that she wanted to go on and do other things. I saw Armin Shimerman (Quark) a few days ago, though, and he said that Farrell left because she wasn’t given a raise proportional to those the other cast members were getting. Producer Rick Berman was enraged and told Farrell that Paramount would never use her for anything ever again. That threat lasted a total of three days, after which she was hired to play Regina in the Paramount sitcom Becker. On DS9, the Jadzia character was killed off and replaced with Ezri Dax, played by Nicole de Boer.[/li][li]Alice Krige, who played the Borg Queen in Star Trek: First Contact, could not reprise her role for the Voyager series due to other commitments. However, she did make an appearance as the character in the season finale.[/li][/ul]
Why is it always the women who leave or get booted?
fandango, Grace Lee Whitney (aka Rand) didn’t quit. If you watch the first season (the one she was there), you will note the way they wrote her character. She was a young, attractive woman with a crush on her captain, and her captain had some affections in return. Watch the episode Miri, the one with the parallel Earth (yeah, that’s uniquely descriptive ) with the kids the die when they mature. It was felt by Roddenberry after that season that anchoring Kirk to his Yeoman was not the right direction - he wanted Kirk free for all the other romantic entanglements that could be envisioned. So Rand was written out. At least that’s the official story (as told by Whitney). I’ve not heard any alternatives by anyone involved.
psychonaut, at the risk of starting a Great Debate, perhaps it is a matter of pay inequality between genders? Or perhaps it is a feeling that the roles do not present enough challenges and growth? Consider that Nichelle Nichols strongly considered quitting because all her character ever did was say “Hailing frequencies open.” That is, until she was convinced otherwise by Martin Luther King, Jr., because she presented a strong, capable black role model in an equal society. Nevermind that her shown duties were limited, her position was as a professional officer in the military* with important duties she fulfilled capably.
You will note the stated reasons in each case involve (1) compensation not equivalent to the others in the cast; (2) the role is not “fleshed out” or developed well; (3) Hi, Opal! Those conveniently match the reasons I listed above. You think?
I suppose the better questions are (1) why do the women’s salaries not match the mens - is it appropriate or not? (2) Do the women as opposed to the men have unrealistic expectations about what character growth and development should occur? (3) Get over it, Opal. (4) Or are the women getting treated differently in the way their characters are handled? Certainly that was true for the Original, but what about TNG?
In a closely related non-Star Trek example, Claudia Christian left Babylon 5 in part because J.M. Straczinsky was unwilling to agree to her having a limited participation in year 5 so she could film a movie. Nevermind that the replacement Captain was in a limited role that matched what Claudia was requesting. Of course she also stated that her salary was ludicrously below what any of the other main actors were making, and she also said there’s a personal reason she won’t discuss. But my point of mentioning it was there was personality conflicts between management and the actress.
Of course this is probably diverting from the GQ in the OP. Sorry I can’t answer those, FarmerOak.
According to William Shatner’s book Ster Trek Memories:
Grace Lee Whitney was written out not so much for artistic reasons but because she had a drug problem that interfered with her performance on the set. After her departure, her problem became worse and worse and finally culminated in her becoming a prostitute back in the 80s. She has, apparently, since gotten her life back on track.
At least, that’s the story from Captain Kirk. Knowing the relationship between him and much of the rest of the cast, I would not be surprised if Whitney’s story differs - but I don’t think he’d just make it up, and she’d certainly be motivated to deny it.
I remember reading an article on why McFadden was returning to the series during the third season. Apparently, the producers felt (or so they claimed at the time) that there wasn’t the chemistry developing with Diana Muldar’s character like there had been with McFadden’s.
I also seem to recall, that Grace Lee Whitney did a porn flick at the low point of her drug addiction. FWIW, she has turned her life around according to the articles I’ve read and has become a devout Christian.
Can I hijack a GQ with another GQ? I’m going to, but if it’s wrong, sorry, let me know.
I’ve been a Trek fan since about '72 or so when they went into syndication. As a teen and young man, I read all the available books, mags, etc., and then let it slide in the mid-90s after the Trek deluge. Until at least the early 90s, after having read many articles and interviews with Nichelle Nichols, I had never heard of her meeting with Martin Luther King. Did she sit on the story until then? It seems to me this just came out of nowhere about the time she wrote her autobiography and had a ghost-written (or co-written) novel appear.
Me, if I had had the privilege of meeting Dr. King, I woulda been talking about it every day to any who would listen.
Anybody know the straight dope? And just so you don’t think I’m being harsh, I did read somewhere a statment that Doctor Kng’s “insiders” have no clue when he may have met her, so it’s not just me being a jerk toward someone.
I’ve been hearing the Nichols/King story for a long time, long before her autobiography came out, but I can’t verify it, either. And don’t sweat the hijack, Sir, it’s germane to the OP.
I have also heard the story about GLW having been fired and having had her life spiral out of control. She has, indeed, turned her life around. Hate to validate Old Fat & Bald Canadian Actor Who Must Not Be Named, but it’s a truth.
Does anyone have the Dope on those “misunderstandings” between Judson Scott’s agents and Paramount?
And McFadden had her kid a couple of years later, after the fourth season (she was seven months preggers during shooting of “The Host.”)
) with the kids the die when they mature. It was felt by Roddenberry after that season that anchoring Kirk to his Yeoman was not the right direction - he wanted Kirk free for all the other romantic entanglements that could be envisioned. So Rand was written out. At least that’s the official story (as told by Whitney). I’ve not heard any alternatives by anyone involved.